


Looking Back

by rusalka240



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adults, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Family, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Shallura if you squint, Some angst, Time Travel, klance, klance child, klance son, klangst in the beginning but it's all good later on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-10-21
Packaged: 2018-12-31 04:47:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12124833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rusalka240/pseuds/rusalka240
Summary: Keith and Lance have a son: Kody Kogane-McClain. The problem is he is bored out of his mind in the castle. That's why he decides to test out Pidge's newest invention- a time machine. Out of curiosity, he decides to go back 18 years to when his family was about his age. The team is new and still not close enough to be a family, but Kody can fix that!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I am writing this story but the idea belongs to the wonderful yoivii (that's her tumblr username- check out her amazing art, she is incredible!!!!) We both hope you enjoy this story :)

Kody stared at the ceiling as he lay in bed, bored out of his mind. He dropped the book he was reading - or, rather, the book his fathers forced him to read- and stood up to stretch. He frowned when he looked down at the book on his bed. Anything would be better than reading about all the different types of alien energy that exists out there for the third time that week. He checked the time and groaned when he realized only two hours had passed since his dads left on another mission. 

They had promised to take him along to a new planet they recently formed an alliance with today, but Pidge just had to run out of supplies for their new project. So, of course, they pushed the adventure aside saying, “Once we get back.”

But it was getting late and Kody knew that ‘once we get back’ actually meant ‘some other time’ which meant never. He was sick of being cooped up on the castle for so long, with only Aunt Allura and Uncle Coran to keep him company. He loves them both dearly but sometimes Coran starts to ramble on and on about something Kody has zero interest in, putting him to sleep. And Allura could be so strict sometimes! She never lets him do anything fun on the castle. 

Now entirely abandoning the idea of reading, Kody wandered off into the kitchen. A mouthwatering aroma hit his nostrils as soon as he walked in. As usual, there was Hunk, cooking something delicious. 

“Hey Uncle Hunk!” Kody smiled. 

“Oh, hey kid. Dinner will be ready soon!”

“It smells good! Like always,” Kody replied. 

“Thanks.”

Kody awkwardly leaned against the wall. Hunk turned to look at Kody, raising an eyebrow. 

“You need something?” He asked. 

Kody shook his head. “No...I’m just really bored. Dads promised to take me to that new planet today but instead they went with Pidge to get supplies...I hate staying up in this dumb castle while all the other kids my age can do whatever they want. It’s like a prison here!”

Hunk smiled sympathetically and offered Kody a cookie. “Well, Pidge’s project is extremely important. And your fathers are paladins of Voltron. Their job is to defend the universe. They love you so much but this project can determine the future, or past, of the whole world.”

Kody sighed. “I know...but I can’t help it. I feel so useless here. And they never let me do anything fun!”

“You know, when we all became paladins of Voltron, we weren’t that much older than you. And I remember this place feeling like a prison at times. But we found a way to make it home and you will too,” Hunk advised. His words were comforting, as usual. 

“I hope so...I bet my dads weren’t so strict when they were my age,” Kody said as he imagined his parents being carefree. It seemed impossible. 

Hunk laughed. “Oh my, you’re right. Especially Lance. He was always joking and messing around. Keith was a little more...reserved but not nearly as much as now. They were both very impulsive. Honestly, the only responsible one was your Uncle Shiro.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, kid. You know, your parents didn’t even like each other for the longest time. They were always fighting. We all were so surprised when they became a couple. It’s crazy to even imagine that now. They’re so close,” Hunk said, his mind seeming to be elsewhere. Probably remembering how things were back then...before Kody. 

Kody raised an eyebrow. “Seriously? I don’t believe you.”

Hunk grinned and shrugged. “Ask them yourself. And if you’re that bored here, why don’t you find something really fun to do? Like an adventure? You know, something that will occupy you for a while. I remember I spent most of my time making food in the kitchen when I was bored. Keith would always train, Pidge was either always reading or helping Coran out. Find your specialty.”

Kody nodded, thanking him for the cookie and the advice. What was his specialty? He was pretty good at fighting but nowhere like his fathers, he wasn’t as smart as Pidge or Uncle Hunk, and he wasn’t as responsible or wise as Uncle Shiro and Aunt Allura. So what could he do? 

Kody sighed and thought about what Hunk had said. Your parents didn’t even like each other. It would have been great to see how his dads were when they were his age. Were they always as confident as they are now? Had they figured out their specialty as soon as they became paladins or did it take time? 

“Hey, Kody.”

Kody turned around, a smile spreading. “Dads!”

He ran up to hug them, cheering up instantly. “You guys took so long.”

They wrapped their arms around him, still in their paladin uniforms. 

“I know,” said Keith as he ran his fingers through Kody’s dark hair. “We owe you one.”

“We know we promised to take you to Vera today,” Lance continued. “Next time for sure.”

Kody frowned. “Dad, you say that every time. And we never end up going.”

Keith and Lance exchanged glances, having a silent conversation between each other. 

“Kody-”

“Lance, Keith, I need your help in the control center,” Allura’s voice interrupted before Keith could finish his sentence. 

“We’ll be right there, princess,” Lance replied into his headset before turning to his son and apologizing again. 

“I think Pidge might need some help, too,” Keith said to his son before walking away with his arm wrapped around his husband’s waist. 

Kody groaned once his parents left the hallway. It was always like this. He felt like he wasn’t really a member of Team Voltron even though everyone insisted that he was. Back to his gloomy mood, Kody shuffled toward Pidge’s workroom. 

“Hey Pidge,” he tried to sound cheerful. “Do you need any help?”

“Hey, kid. Actually yes, I do. Help me unload those crates of quintessence, please,” Pidge pointed to the boxes stacked on top of each other. 

“Sure. What are you making, again?” Kody asked as he carried one of the heavy boxes to the machine by Pidge. He took the containers out and placed them in rows on the floor carefully. 

“We’ve been over this. A machine that allows for the manipulation of and movement within time and space using ionized atomic particles and quintessence,” Pidge replied, fumbling around through a stack of blueprints. 

Kody scratched his head. “So…a time machine?”

Pidge sighed. “Sure, Kody. A time machine.”

“Cool!” Kody beamed. “When will it be complete?”

“Hopefully, tonight. This is my most important project, that’s why I grabbed Lance and Keith immediately once I figured out the missing ingredient - quintessence.”

Kody’s annoyance with his parents faded instantly. A time machine! Pidge probably wouldn’t let him near the finished product but...someone had to test it, right? This is the adventure he needed so much! And, maybe, if he was successful in testing it out, he’d finally have something to contribute to Team Voltron. He was following Hunk’s advice by finding his specialty. Yes, that’s exactly what he was doing (or what he would say if he got in trouble).

“That’s cool! I can help you with it!”

Pidge shook their head. “No, kid, I got this. I need to work by myself on projects like this so I can fully concentrate. I don’t even let Hunk or Coran near me when I’m working like this. But thanks for the offer. Go play or something once you finish unloading the containers.”

With that, Pidge turned their attention entirely to the blueprints, occasionally muttering something to themselves or quickly scribbling a note down.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
“Goodnight, Kody,” his fathers said before kissing his forehead. 

“Goodnight, Dads,” he replied, unable to hide his excitement. 

“What are you so happy about?” Asked Lance with a smile. 

“Nothing,” he said quickly. “Just...in a good mood.”

Lance raised an eyebrow. “Sure. That’s the look you always have on your face when you’re about to do something you’re not supposed to.”

Kody shrugged. “I’m not going to do anything bad.”

Keith and Lance exchanged concerned glances. 

“I’m serious! You guys don’t have to worry about me. I’m not a baby. Uncle Hunk said you were about my age when you first became paladins so...I’m deciding to be responsible like you guys,” Kody explained. He wasn’t lying exactly. Just stretching the truth a tiny bit. 

Keith sighed heavily. The years of exhaustion were suddenly prevalent on his face. “Kody...we didn’t have much of a choice. We were forced to give up our childhoods and forced to take up this massive responsibility. I mean, it was - what? Around five or six years until we were able to see our families again. We saw and did things at a young age that most people don’t experience in a lifetime.”

“We’re trying to give you what we didn’t have,” Lance continued. “A chance to just be a kid. Here, you’re safe and you have a chance to be carefree. Be a kid, Kody. Enjoy it while it lasts.”

Kody nodded solemnly, the weight of his parents’ words sinking in. He thought it over for hours. What he had planned certainly wasn’t a good idea...but it could prove useful. It was going to just be a one time thing. One helpful act. It’s not like he was going out to fight evil like his parents. He needed to do this. 

Making his mind up, Kody changed out of his pajamas. He packed a bag of things he might need just in case - a notebook and pen, a communication device in case something went wrong, a tablet, a change of clothes, and a bayard Pidge had created just for him on his birthday. He grabbed his favorite purple jacket before quietly closing the door behind him. 

He tiptoed to Pidge’s workroom and almost exclaimed when he saw a figure hunched over the desk. It turned out to just be a sleeping Pidge, hair collected into a messy ponytail and glasses on the table. Kody sighed in relief. He saw a blanket folded in the corner and draped it over the hardworking green paladin. 

Before making his way to the new machine, Kody collected all of the blueprints corresponding to the latest project as well as Pidge’s journal. His eyes lingered on a crate of quintessence. The machine was big enough to fit a crate so why not?

He set everything down and crossed the room, trying not to wake Pidge up. As he heaved the crate across, Pidge stirred. Kody froze. He stood directly in front of the paladin. If they were to open their eyes, his plan would be ruined and he would be in so much trouble. 

When nothing happened, Kody continued to make his way back to the machine. He smiled to himself as he loaded all of his supplies into the tight machine. It was a tight squeeze but enough. He opened the journal and flipped to the time machine instructions. He followed the steps carefully, making sure to re-read the orders to ensure no mistakes. When the control panel started to glow, he almost laughed out loud with happiness. 

A small screen showed up: ENTER DATE

Kody’s fingers hovered over the number panel. At that moment, his conversation with Uncle Hunk popped into his mind. It would be pretty cool to see his parents at his age...when they first became paladins. Taking a deep breath, Kody inputted the date. He yelped when the machine started to shake and beep. His hands instinctively reached towards the exit but the doors were locked. He pulled as hard as he could but they were shut real tight. At this point, it didn’t matter if he would get in trouble. He just wanted to get out before the machine exploded!

The motions stopped as suddenly as they had begun. Kody waited for his breathing to calm down before moving, feeling claustrophobic instantly. He grabbed only his bag before opening the doors.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kody realizes that Pidge's time machine worked. However, his arrival doesn't go exactly as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry I'm posting this so late. I've been really busy with school and stuff so my updates may be late. There will also be a picture that inspired this whole story but I will post it in the next chapter because of some technical difficulties the artist and I are having. I just didn't want to neglect this story longer than I already have. Once again, sorry for the wait. I hope you enjoy this. Thank you!

* * *

 

“Wow,” Kody breathed.

The room he arrived in certainly was Pidge’s workroom but it was so...different. It looked more like a storage room than anything. There was no desk, no electronics, no shelves stocked with different materials and supplies, no half-finished projects scattering the floor. It looked like no one had thought to turn all this space into a workroom yet. It was just littered with junk and boxes and a thick layer of dust over everything.

But that meant it worked.

“It worked!” Kody couldn’t help but exclaim. “It worked! I’m here. I’m in the past,” he added breathlessly to himself, looking around in astonishment at nothing in particular. The room itself was rather boring but the fact that he was in a different time made up for the lack of visual appeal.

He was eighteen years in the past. Pidge will be so happy that their machine worked! Kody couldn’t contain his excitement. He was going to see his family! Except...young and different. He couldn’t wait to see the castle as it was eighteen years ago. So much must have changed.

Just in case, Kody grabbed one of the sheets draped over the boxes and used it to cover the machine. Better safe than sorry, as Coran always reminded him.

Kody closed the door behind him silently, staring in awe at the hallway even though it looked exactly as it did in his time. It seemed like this part of the castle was less explored, which of course will change later on, but Kody knew his way in and out of Pidge’s workroom well. He followed the hallway until he reached the elevator. He stepped inside and wondered where everyone would most likely be.

Well, the red paladin would certainly be in the training room. Yellow must be in the kitchen. He knew that much hadn’t changed. Kody swung on his heels anxiously as he waited for the elevator doors to open again. He was starting to get nervous because the castle just felt so different. It’s appearance hasn't changed too much but something felt off. He frowned and quickened his pace, just now realizing how much could go wrong on this little mission. He needed to find his parents. They would know what to do.

Kody gasped lightly when he finally peered into the training room. There stood his parents, undoubtedly but...they were so different. He knew this moment was coming but it was so surprising to see his parents as teenagers.

Despite standing in the middle of the training room, they were dressed very nicely. The blue paladin was smiling, his face a bit flushed. The red paladin was trying to look annoyed but he had the hint of a smile on his lips. His hair was much longer than Kody was used to. Although Kody was too far to hear the conversation, he knew they were flirting with each other. Well, one of them was flirting and the other most likely wasn’t noticing it. Relieved, Kody started walking up to his parents, instantly feeling comfort.

“I found them,” he said to himself. “Dad!”

The two paladins turned, confusion written right across their faces.

“Uh, are you looking for your dad?” The red paladin asked. He was staring at Kody intently, as if trying to figure where he had seen him before.

Kody laughed. “Yes, but I just found them,” he stated proudly.

Lance looked around the room but realized it was only the three of them. “Where?” He asked with a nervous laugh.

“Right here,” Kody grinned before wrapping his arms around both of them.

His parents stood frozen, surprised and confused out of their minds. Kody pulled away and saw them staring at each other in horror. A blush crept over the red paladin’s face, evoking a smirk from Kody. It was strange and kind of funny that they weren’t even a couple yet.

“Um...I think you have the wrong people. We’re not...Keith and I...Wait, how did you even get here? You should be in the main ballroom. Who are you, you don’t look like the other aliens?” His dad struggled to find the right words.

“Oh no, I’m not an alien. Pidge built a machine. I’m Kody. Your-”

“Pidge?” Lance exclaimed. “Oh my gosh, they’re in so much trouble. I have no idea what’s going on...here,” he motioned to all of Kody, “but Pidge will have to fix it.”

With that, he walked out of the room with Keith following. Kody ran after them, trying to get them to slow down but his calls were ignored. They stopped at the enormous ballroom. Kody gasped when he saw the room all decorated and alive. They never used this room. Kody wondered what would cause the change in the future.

While he was busy looking around, his parents had disappeared among the swarm of cheerful aliens. They all had a glass of some purple liquid and everyone seemed to be having a good time. It weirded Kody out. Never in his lifetime with the paladins had there been a celebration like this. He looked left and right but couldn’t find either of the paladins. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around, beaming once he recognized the person.

“Shiro!” Kody exclaimed, wrapping his arms around his uncle. The black paladin, however, was stiff.

“Uhhh, hi, I guess. Who are you?” Shiro wondered, raising an eyebrow as he waited patiently for an explanation.

Kody realized how out of place he was. Not only was he seriously underdressed for whatever was going on, but he also looked too human. The only ones who were supposed to look that way were the paladins of Voltron, and he certainly was not one of them.

Also, as he stared at his uncle, Kody realized that he had not changed much. Shiro still had that scar and streak of white hair, as well as the robotic Galra-tech arm. For some reason, Kody assumed he had gotten those attributes much later in life. It was sad to all of a sudden realize how young Shiro was when he suffered that trauma. But currently, he, like everyone else, appeared more youthful and energized. The Shiro he knew was strong but like the other paladins, he looked eternally tired. This Shiro looked different. He must have been in his twenties at this time. His whole life was still ahead of him, and he had no idea what awaited him in the future. Was it Kody’s place to warn them of some of the devastating tragedies they would be forced to endure? Although it pained him to just sit back and let the future unfold the way it did while he had a chance to change it, he decided against it. The field of time travel was still fairly new and there was not much research on it. Besides, they would all still be happy and closer in than ever in the next eighteen years so sitting back and watching isn’t as bad as it initially seems...right?

Something internal warned Kody not to tell Shiro the truth. Maybe it was the sudden realization of the intensity of the situation, maybe it was Shiro’s gaze. Either way, something drove him to withhold the entire truth. He hated that but it felt necessary.

“I’m not from here,” Kody started.

Shiro had relaxed significantly, probably realizing that Kody posed no threat. He even had a small smile on his face.

“Yeah, that’s pretty obvious,” Shiro joked. “So what’s up? I can’t let you run around without knowing your motives, kid.”

At that point, Keith and Lance had returned, dragging Pidge along with them.

“What?” Pidge grumbled, clearly annoyed.

“This kid showed up out of nowhere and he said that you’re behind it,” Lance shouted, pushing Kody towards Pidge.

Kody, meanwhile, stared in awe at how different Pidge looked. They were certainly a year or two younger than Keith and Lance but they were also...scrawnier...more vulnerable looking. The Pidge he was used to was tougher and much more confident. This Pidge seemed like they would shy away in a rough situation, hiding behind a computer screen, while the grown up Pidge would go head first into it. That seemed like a common trend between the young paladins he just met, however.

Pidge looked from Kody to Lance to Keith. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Who is this?”

Lance scoffed. “Are you kidding me, that’s exactly what we’re trying to find out! That’s why we brought you here. You should know!”

“Know what?” Pidge yelled in response. “What do you want me to do?”

“I don’t know, maybe fix the problem you caused!”

“Lance, have you thought that maybe you could do something useful for once instead of blaming it on others?” Keith stepped in. The argument went downhill after that. There was even more yelling between Keith and Lance, with PIdge butting in occasionally. Kody took a step back as he realized more and more people were beginning to watch the fight. At some point, Keith had pushed Lance. It was a light shove but enough for Lance to get angry and push back.

Kody hadn’t realized he was moving away from the fight until he bumped into one of the aliens. He apologized instantly but it didn’t seem like she understood anything he said. His family never fought like this. Kody had only been here for a few minutes and had already made a mess of things. Perfect.

“Keith! Lance!” Allura’s voice shook the room. Keith turned to the grand staircase on top of which Allura stood. She was graceful and beautiful as always. The only change was that she wore an elaborate ball gown and her hair was long. Very long. Other than in pictures, Kody had only seen Auntie Allura with shoulder length hair. She looked much more like an elegant princess here, as opposed to the wise commander she becomes in the future. Kody couldn’t help but smile a bit when he spotted the trio of mice perched comfortably on Allura’s shoulder, playing with a strand of her hair. It looks like some things never change.

“Everyone, please excuse the paladins. Do continue socializing. Please, this celebration is for you. Enjoy yourselves,” she smiled at the crowd which stared at her in awe. It didn’t take long for them to follow her advice and forget the small outbreak entirely. The room was once again filled with chatter and laughter as the lovely, otherworldly music continued playing softly in the background.

Kody watched Allura descend to the scene of the fight. She smiled at and greeted the guests on her way to Lance and Keith but the anger in her eyes was crystal clear.

“What in the world do you two think you’re doing?” Allura whisper-shouted.

Keith and Lance simply turned to look at Kody. Allura raised an eyebrow, silently commanding him to approach her.

“Uh, hi...Aun, I-I mean Princess,” Kody smiled hesitantly. Nothing was familiar about this Allura. Her icy gaze bore down on him as she tried to assess if he was dangerous or not. Settling on the latter, she asked him who he was.

Kody stumbled as he tried to explain. “ I, um, I’m here because…” he looked around for anything that would help him out. He mentally scolded himself for not thinking this through. Although, he wasn’t even really expecting for the machine to work. His eyes settled on his parents. “I need Lance and Keith’s help.”

He begged Keith and Lance with his eyes to play along. Keith didn’t even look at him but Lance caught on, although confused.

Lance nodded. “Y-Yeah. I know him. We know him, right Keith?”

Keith glared at Lance. “What are you-”

“Yeah, haven’t seen you in a while...buddy.” Lance’s lie was painfully obvious. Shiro and Allura stared at him, trying to figure the blue paladin out. However, giving up, they waved the matter off and continued to walk back to the staircase from which it was easy to observe the entire ballroom. Kody sighed in relief when Allura laughed at something Shiro had said, obviously trusting Keith and Lance with the matter at hand.

Once they were far away, Keith and Lance turned sharply to Kody.

“Follow me,” Keith said to him before walking away towards the exit and into the hall. Kody did as told, glad to have Lance walking right by his side. They stopped in the middle of an empty hallway, far from the ballroom.

“Okay. Who are you?” Keith asked sharply, showing no emotion except annoyance.

“Keith, don’t be so rude…” Lance interrupted.

Keith looked like he wanted to reply with a snarky comment but decided against it. Instead, he crossed his arms and looked away, signaling to Lance to continue the interrogation.

“What’s your name?” Lance asked softly.

“Kody Kogane-McClain,” he replied confidently. Keith made a choking sound. A blush spread over Lance’s cheeks.

“Is this a joke?” Keith pressed.

Kody shook his head. “No...look, I’m not from this time. Pidge built a time machine...or they will in eighteen years. But...I’m your son.”

Keith and Lance exchanged reluctant glances.

Kody frowned. His parents wouldn’t even look at him anymore.

“A-Alright. I’m pretty sure I’m dreaming but whatever. What was your name again?” Lance wondered.

“My name is Kody.”

“Well it is nice to meet you, Kody. Although, I suppose we will meet later,” Lance said with a confused smile.

“Why are you here?” Keith had his arms crossed and was frowning at him. The voice was different than what he was used to but still familiar. He looked hostile, not warm and friendly like his father.

“I needed to test Pidge’s machine out,” Kody replied quietly, as if he had been scolded.

Keith scoffed. “The paladins of Voltron would have gone themselves to test out something so dangerous. They wouldn’t have sent some kid.”

The way Keith spoke to him was hurtful. He spoke to him like he didn’t care about him. Sure, Kody wasn’t his kid yet...but for some reason he expected his parents to be nicer to him. Kody meant nothing to this Keith. It actually seemed like he hated him, judging from his tone.

“Keith,” Lance warned sternly.

Keith threw his hands in the air in the defeat and stormed out of the room. Kody watched Lance hesitate before deciding to follow him.

But before walking away completely, he turned to Kody and said, “My bedroom is on the third floor, to the left. You can stay there for now. I’ll be right back.”

Kody nodded and smiled at his father before turning towards the elevator. This would be way messier than he thought.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith finally confesses to Lance (with a little help from Kody)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pretty short - I know, sorry 
> 
> BUT! 
> 
> pics at the end! (from chapter 2 tho)
> 
> :)))))))

Lance trailed behind Keith awkwardly, trying to keep up with the red paladin’s quick pace. Should he say something and make himself known? Well, he would have to at some point. Did Keith know he was following him? He must have. Lance took a shaky breath. 

“Keith.”

Keith stopped and turned around. Once he realized it was Lance he looked away. 

“What?”

“Um, we should talk,” Lance said quietly. 

“No.”

Lance rolled his eyes. He expected this. “I think we really need to.”

“About what?”

Lance took a deep breath. “You know about what.”

Keith sighed and slid down to take a seat on the floor. Lance joined him. They sat in silence for a while, neither knowing how to start the long-awaited and much needed conversation. Both of them dreaded this but it was time. Who would have known that their time travelling child is what finally got them to talk - really talk - to each other?

“So...we have a kid together,” Lance started. He mentally cringed at how awkward everything was right now. But he couldn’t help it...Keith was difficult to talk to as it is and their current situation was not a simple one. 

“Yeah, looks like it,” Keith replied, the words finally sinking in. His eyes widened in realization of the severity of the situation. It was a lot to process at once.

“And I guess we’re together in the future,” Lance added quietly. He was stretching the conversation and it was obvious. But he didn't know what to say to Keith. What does one say in such situations? 

“I like you, Lance. I like you a lot. But I didn’t know how to tell you. I didn’t think someone like you could have feelings for someone like me and so I never said anything. But I’m saying it now and if you want to laugh just go ahead and get it over with.” Keith stated suddenly, finally meeting Lance’s eyes. He could feel the blush growing across his face and the pain in his chest. He decided it was better to cut straight to the point rather than beat around the bush. That’s why Lance was here. He must have figured it out but he needed clarification, he needed Keith to say it. And Keith understood that. He needed to hear something - anything - from Lance, too. 

“Keith,” Lance said softly. He had a nervous smile that raised Keith’s hopes up so much that the thought of being rejected was absolutely terrifying now. 

“Why in the world would I laugh at you?” Lance continued, still smiling sweetly. “Our first battle.”

Keith knit his eyebrows. “What?”

“Our first battle. That’s when I realized I was falling in love with you.”

Keith felt his face heat up. He looked away. What was wrong with him? The boy of his dreams was confessing to him and he couldn't even meet his eyes. 

“You were incredible. You were so skilled - an amazing fighter. It’s like you could do everything at once. And then you just kept improving and doing better each time. But then you also kept your teammates in mind. You didn’t leave me behind back then...and you never would. I mean, I noticed you at the Garrison but...that first battle, when the castle was attacked, that’s when I really realized what I felt for you. I love everyone on this team but...you’re different.”

Keith blinked, his jaw dropped from Lance’s confession. He wanted to say something, but he was absolutely frozen. The longer he took, the more Lance’s hopeful eyes darkened. He felt pathetic.

Finally, it seemed like Lance had enough. He sighed slowly and his eyes dropped to the ground. “Gosh, I’m an idiot. Just forget I said anything,” Lance mumbled before pushing past him and walking away. 

Keith stared at him, still unable to speak. He felt paralyzed. He couldn't move his mouth nor his muscles. In his mind, he was running through the million things he wanted to say to Lance. But even when Lance was out of his sight, he still stood in the same position in the cold hallway. 

“Dad?”

Keith turned. It was Kody. 

“Can you call me Keith? It’s still kind of shocking when you say that.” He heard himself speak, but it was as if someone else's mouth had spoken. He felt numb. 

Kody nodded, leaning against the wall next to the red paladin. 

“What’s wrong...Keith?”

Keith shrugged. “I think I just messed up my chances with Lance.”

Keith didn’t expect Kody’s reaction. He was waiting for some sort of sound of sympathy or false reassurance. But instead, Kody just laughed. It was genuine laughter, happy laughter. And for some reason, it made Keith feel a little better. 

“What are you laughing about?” Keith wondered, coming off more angry than intended. Kody stopped. 

“Sorry, it’s just...that’s impossible. You two...you guys are like soulmates, or whatever. You’re inseparable. It’s always been like that. You didn’t ruin anything, Keith. He loves you.”

Keith was taken aback. He loves you. The thought of Lance loving him, the thought of them being inseparable, was insanely amazing. He found himself grinning at Kody. 

“What should I do?” Keith raised an eyebrow, forgetting all about how strange this moment really was. 

“Apologize for whatever misunderstanding happened. Just be nice. And romantic!”

Keith frowned. “That's way easier said than done. I don't know how to be romantic. I'll just mess it up again…”

“No you won't. You need to relax. Come on, this is Lance we’re talking about. You don’t need to do much to impress him. Really, I would know,” Kody smiled at him. 

Keith sighed heavily. 

“Just apologize and be really nice. Knowing him, he’ll be over the moon for at least another week if you do that,” Kody continued. He didn’t fail to notice how red Keith suddenly became. 

It took a few minutes more to finally coax Keith into actually carrying through with the plan. He was incredibly nervous, which was understandable since he and Lance were awfully distant right now. But Kody knew that would soon change. 

 

 

 

Keith found Lance sitting on one of the lounge couches, sulking away. He almost wanted to turn away but the red paladin found himself staring into Lance’s gorgeous blue eyes much too quickly. 

“Lance…”

Lance shifted a bit but didn’t say anything - only hugged his knees to his chest. Keith sat down next to him hesitantly. The room was dim and the shadows that were casted upon Lance’s face made him look mysteriously seductive. He crossed his arms, waiting for Keith to speak.

“Lance,” Keith started again.

“Please leave if you’re just gonna make a fool of me,” Lance said quietly before Keith could continue. 

“That’s...that’s not what I’m trying to do. That’s not what I came here for.”

“Then why are you here?” Lance glared. 

Keith sat down next to him, summoning all the courage he had. “To do this,” he said before placing his hand on Lance’s shoulder and pulling him closer and closer until their lips connected. It seemed as though he made a huge mistake up until Lance kissed him back, and, after that, he felt calmer than ever before. Keith melted. Lance’s shaky hand moved up Keith’s arm, resting on the back of his neck. He moved the red paladin’s face closer to him, thus deepening the kiss. Keith, surprised, let out an unexpected moan. Was this real? Was it really happening? Was that romantic or super weird? 

Lance pulled away. He came to a frantic realization. “After what I said back there, I thought I screwed up. I thought…”

“No, Lance,” Keith breathed, still slightly shaken from the kiss. “You didn't do anything wrong. I was just surprised. I didn't know what to do because nobody had ever said anything like that to me before. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have just stood there. I really like you, Lance. I want you,” he said quietly. He mentally prayed that he had said the right thing. Was he being nice like Kody had told him to be? He never knew when he was being rude unless it was intentional. Was he being too sudden? He prayed that he didn't mess it up. 

Fortunately, Lance took Keith's hand, beaming. Relief overflowed his body when Lance finally said, “Took you long enough.”

Here are the pictures from the last chapter, as promised :)

https://www.flickr.com/gp/156273516@N06/4306Xu


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